title: Evaluating the potential for the environmentally sustainable control of foot and mouth disease in Sub-Saharan Africa.
abstract: Strategies to control transboundary diseases have in the past generated unintended negative consequences for both the environment and local human populations. Integrating perspectives from across disciplines, including livestock, veterinary and conservation sectors, is necessary for identifying disease control strategies that optimise environmental goods and services at the wildlife-livestock interface. Prompted by the recent development of a global strategy for the control and elimination of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), this paper seeks insight into the consequences of, and rational options for potential FMD control measures in relation to environmental, conservation and human poverty considerations in Africa. We suggest a more environmentally nuanced process of FMD control that safe-guards the integrity of wild populations and the ecosystem dynamics on which human livelihoods depend while simultaneously improving socio-economic conditions of rural people. In particular, we outline five major issues that need to be considered: 1) improved understanding of the different FMD viral strains and how they circulate between domestic and wildlife populations; 2) an appreciation for the economic value of wildlife for many African countries whose presence might preclude the country from ever achieving an FMD-free status; 3) exploring ways in which livestock production can be improved without compromising wildlife such as implementing commodity-based trading schemes; 4) introducing a participatory approach involving local farmers and the national veterinary services in the control of FMD; and 5) finally the possibility that trans frontier conservation might offer new hope of integrating decision-making at the wildlife-livestock interface.
authors.forename: Kenneth J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cleaveland
authors.forename: Daniel Thomas
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Haydon
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caron
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kock
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lembo
authors.forename: J Grant C
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Hopcraft
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chardonnet
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nyariki
authors.forename: Julius
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Keyyu
authors.forename: David James
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Paton
authors.forename: Fredrick Mathias
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Kivaria
mesh_terms: D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000453:epidemiology; D000383:Agriculture; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000821:virology*; D003256:Community Participation; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000191:economics*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000662:veterinary*; D005536:Foot-and-Mouth Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D011203:Poverty; D012424:Rural Population